Sierra Club gives Dem Schrader green light in 8th District race

Her views, plus foe's lack of response, earn her nod.

October 08, 2004|By Hal Marcovitz Of The Morning Call

Open-space preservation has been a cornerstone issue for Michael G. Fitzpatrick, but the Bucks County Sierra Club has instead endorsed Virginia Schrader for the 8th District congressional seat because Fitzpatrick didn't respond to a questionnaire and Schrader backs the group's goals.

Matt Bullock, political chairman for the Sierra Club, said Fitzpatrick missed a political opportunity by failing to return the questionnaire or respond to requests for an interview.

Schrader's questionnaire reflected a 100 percent compliance with the Sierra Club's positions, Bullock said, which is why she was endorsed.

On the questionnaire, Schrader, a Democrat, said she opposed drilling for oil on federally protected land in Alaska as well as curtailment of commercial logging on public land.

Schrader said she backed expansion of federal wilderness protection for the Allegheny National Forest, expansion of legislation protecting endangered species, and funding Superfund site cleanups by using fines paid by polluters rather than tax dollars.

"That's what stops polluters from polluting," said Schrader. "If it isn't expensive for them, they won't stop polluting."

Bullock said he is disappointed Fitzpatrick, a Republican, chose not to respond. He said the Sierra Club regards itself as bipartisan and, because the GOP is generally not viewed as environmentalist-friendly, considers it a coup whenever a Republican emerges with the group's endorsement.

"Frankly, it was a missed political opportunity for Mike Fitzpatrick," Bullock said. "[U.S. Rep] Jim Greenwood had our endorsement in 2002. The Sierra Club in Bucks County is super-bipartisan. We're very proud of them."

Fitzpatrick said his environmental credentials speak for themselves.

"I have an excellent record of protecting the environment," he said. "When you protect land, you protect clean water and clean air."

Fitzpatrick makes his pro-environment claims based on his decision -- made in concert with his fellow commissioners -- to establish an open space task force and adopt its recommendation to start a wide-ranging open space preservation program.

In 1997, the electorate approved a $59 million bond issue to finance the program, which has been used to leverage millions of dollars in additional state, local and private funding.

According to Fitzpatrick, the program has been instrumental in taking more than 10,000 acres in Bucks County out of the path of development.

Bullock said he didn't want to criticize Fitzpatrick's involvement in county preservation efforts, but questioned how relevant they are to national environmental issues.

"I'm not going to say a bond issue protecting the environment is bad," Bullock said. "It's not what he's going to be pressed on."

Fitzpatrick said he could not recall filling out the Sierra Club's questionnaire.

Since replacing Greenwood in the race over the summer, Fitzpatrick said, he has received "scores of questionnaires."

Still, Fitzpatrick said, he placed two calls to Sierra Club officials in Washington last week, hoping to meet with representatives of the group, but received no return calls.

Bullock disputed that. He said the Sierra Club twice sent questionnaires to Fitzpatrick by registered mail and received no response. Phone calls also were made to the Republican's campaign committee, Bullock said, and were not returned.

Fitzpatrick said voters would do well to look at the candidates' records on the environment.

This fall, he has repeatedly criticized Schrader for not voting in the 1997 referendum that authorized the open space bond issue.

Schrader said she stayed away from the polls because she believed the Republican-controlled county government would carry out its agenda regardless of the referendum's results.

She suggested that while Fitzpatrick may take credit for protecting the environment in Bucks County, he would be a far different lawmaker in Washington when forced to take positions contrary to the Republican leadership.

She added that Fitzpatrick has staunchly defended the Bush administration and that "this administration has given the message over and over again that the environment doesn't matter to them."

Bullock said the Bucks County Sierra Club includes a membership of about 1,200 people.

Besides Bucks County, the 8th District includes small parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery County.